


We could be.

by Efhue



Category: Attack on Titan, Shingeki no Kyojin, aot, snk - Fandom
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, also Jean is just really in love, like really fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2015-12-04
Packaged: 2018-05-04 23:06:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5351777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Efhue/pseuds/Efhue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who knew the need for domesticity is the best matchmaker ?</p>
            </blockquote>





	We could be.

It’s their day off today. They haven’t had a day this free since they were trainees. Understandable, with all the shit that’s been going down, but now that there’s a new regime, it seems like the Survey Corps are far from being condemned by the public. So here they are, out in the open. It’s a nice day, warm and sunny, with a light breeze making an appearance, darting around like a childish spirit, hiding and reappearing. There’s been a lot going on, so Jean is really glad to just stop and smell the roses for once. Literally. Right now, he’s accompanying Armin in the gardens, as he makes notes of plants and writes down descriptions, and if he feels like it, makes a reference sketch that’s neat and precise, with practiced strokes. Jean has seem at work so many times, yet he’s caught by Armin’s movements, no particular thought or praise making his mind, just the occasional doubt of how long Armin had been developing this skill. He doesn’t really think about much. There’s not really much to think about, but there is one recurring thought that Jean can’t seem to shake off, because it’s almost like his heart is tattooing the name against his rib cage, beating out testaments of his feelings, the truth that his throat refuses to let slip past his mouth.

He thinks about Eren a lot.

He thinks about his soft hair, and how it has the tendency to defy gravity when he wakes up, brilliant in fresh morning light, viridian eyes blinking away sleep.

He thinks about his strong arms, working arms, yet they lack callouses or cuts or scars, save for a ring of a bite.

He thinks about nights where the both of them lay down their defenses, and spend up together, talking, whispering, saving conversations in the dark recesses of their minds, to be hidden and never spoken of again.

He thinks about Eren _a lot._

Sometimes, he’d like to think of him and Eren fighting, but it’s more a tease than a taunt. He’d like to think of him and Eren sneaking away, when meetings are stifling and Eren can’t stand scrutinizing eyes on him, so he can hold him close, and kiss away every ounce of nervousness the room suffocates him with. He’d like to hold him close at nights when more often than not, Eren is laid bare, heart on his sleeve as he talks about things that bother him, and how much the fear is eating at him, and how he’s trying to be strong but he feels like he’s too weak yet here he is, trying for humanity. Jean wants to be there for Eren, through thick and thin, till death do them part.

“Say Armin ?” He breaches the comfortable silence that’s been hanging like a low cloud over them for a while. He lies down on the grass, staring at the sky. “Do you have anything to cure stupid thoughts ?” He asks with a resigned sigh.

Armin laughs, soft like the breeze, and sits next to him, cornflower eyes finding their twin in the hue of the vast expanse of the sky as he hums to himself, before replying. “I did happen to notice some Aconitums in full bloom.” He says slyly.

Sure enough, Jean shoots up and looks at him because Armin is someone you’re never too sure about if he’s joking or not. “I meant like temporarily, not like, permanent. Dude, I’d just saunter up to a titan with a grass skirt if I wanted something like that.” He huffed, lying back down once Armin bursts out into laughter, grinning and patting Jean’s chest in reassurance.

“Relax. Though, I have found talking about things that plague you work best in getting rid of them. After all, better out than in yeah ?”

“I guess, I mean. Okay, uh, where do I begin ? You know Eren yeah ?”

“Unfortunately in too much clarity and detail. Continue.”

“I think, I think I might really like him.”

“You should be good, as long as you don’t wax poetic about his hair.” Armin teased.

“One time !” Jean protests immediately, before sighing and throwing his forearm over his eyes; the sun is getting _annoying._ “I just, it’s really stupid, but, I can’t just help thinking what it would be to be _with_ him.” He mumbled, embarrassed by his own straightforwardness, but this was Armin, disarming and practically everyone’s personal therapist. “Its just, we have our moments, where we’re not fighting. Shocking, I know, and I’m sitting there, and I’m thinking _fuck I’m in love,_ because did you know he beats himself up a lot ?”

“Literally and figuratively, yes.”

“Yeah, and well, I just want to tell him he shouldn’t. Not like, he shouldn’t beat himself up, fuck no, I don’t want to be all _oh no Eren, you really shouldn’t, you poor thing._ Nah, I just want to talk sense to the guy, and I did. A couple of times, and well, Eren isn’t exactly the most complicated person on the planet, so it’s not hard to see he actually means it when he says thanks or like, when he does things like actually care about how you're doing, he's just really simple and God, Armin, I just, you’re his best friend, do you think he likes me ?” He finally sighed out, tired of beating around the bush.

Armin mulled over it for a moment, and though he would love to infuriate Jean by being the most cryptic he could be, he thought the poor boy deserved an answer.

“He does.”

Jean took his arm of his eyes to slowly turn his head and regard Armin with wide eyes, mouth open in a small comical “o” shape. “For real ?"

“I speak naught but the truth.”

“Why didn’t he tell me ?!”

“He didn’t know how you felt.”

“I was being the most obvious I could be !”

“No.”

“What do you mean _no_ ?” He asked indignantly.

“Jean, you said it yourself. Eren isn’t really complicated. Eren’s simple minded, and is really bad with hinting. _Which-“_ he stressed sternly before Jean could retort, waiting for his mouth to snap shut before continuing, “-has been your strategy. It’s not bad, and it has a high success rate with anyone who’s _not_ Eren. So, if you want to get with Eren, you got to be obvious.”

“How obvious are we talking about here ?” Jean gulped, nervous laugh accompanying his query.

“I’d say you might as well paint it on Wall Maria.”

_“Oh Great Sina.”_

“Tell you what, Eren did mention that he’d be going down to the market place later on to grab provisions for the upcoming expedition. Why don’t you go accompany him ?”

 

* * *

 

 

 

And accompany Eren, Jean did.

 

They walked down the cobblestone paths of the capitol, side by side, stalls surrounding them. Loud haggling and hawking rose in volume as they got into the very heart of the Market place, standing next to each other.

“You know, it’s really okay Jean, I think I would have been fine by myself-“

“Yeah, but like, what if you needed an extra hand and it would really be a waste of time to find someone else to help, so stop complaining.” He snapped, huffing and crossing his arms across his chest. Eren wanted to retaliate, but decided against it, opting to sigh out his frustration and check the list. “Alright, alright, let’s start with the rice. We need about ten kilos of that, and then I guess we could buy some radishes and carrots, tomatoes are a must-“ he trailed off, engrossed in his little piece of paper, while Jean appreciated the opportunity to just enjoy Eren being _him._

“What are you smiling at ?”

“Nothing, you just resemble a monkey. Actually no, a monkey could read your list better-“ He teased, as Jean furrowed his brows and proceeded to imitate a monkey. Eren was angry at the comment, but Jean’s little show made him burst out in laughter, as he shoved him playfully and snickered. “No idiot, you’re not a monkey, you’re a _horse.”_ Eren reminded in a tone one would use to explain one plus one is two. Jean stopped for a moment, with a look of mock offense, before grinning and mercilessly hooking his arm around Eren’s neck, ruffling Eren’s hair as said victim tried to free himself, laughter from both boys joining with the other voices until Jean let him go, somehow much closer to him than he recalled ever being, shoulders knocking as Eren mussed his own hair into a much more appropriate mess. “Dumbass, stop horsing around, we have shopping to do.” He said seriously, though a ghost of a smile still lingered on his lips. Jean just snorted and plucked the list from his hands, as he studied the chit, nodding. “Right, rice first. That way.” He said, tugging him by the sleeve of his jacket, grinning and walking as Eren stumbled behind him, confused, but shrugging it off because hey, as long as they were getting work done, it’s cool.

The shopping spree was pretty uneventful, and by the time the boys were done, the sky was orange and pink, their hands laden with brown paper packaging of groceries, as they walked shoulder to shoulder, occasionally having a crack at each other and laughing at themselves, and although today was great, Jean still felt like there was something to be done. So with what he hoped was a confident smile, he shifted all his weight onto one arm, and gently slipped his hand into Eren’s. It took the latter a moment, before he stopped walking and talking, turning to look at him, a little curious, as Jean stopped and turned to look at him.

“Hey Eren ?”

“Yeah ?”

“This is- today- I uh-“ Jean tripped over his words, before taking a deep breath and taking a moment to compose himself. What was he even afraid of ? Eren liked him back, he’s just taking the first step, and sure, their relationship is currently riding on this, but no pressure, right ?

He took a deep breath, and if words would fail, actions would speak louder. He extracted his hand from Eren’s, cradling his cheek and slowly leaning down to kiss him, soft and sweet. He felt Eren sigh against his lips and gently meld his lips in position with Jean’s. Jean let out a shaky laugh, after he pulled away, amber eyes locking in on viridian, as he sighed and leaned his forehead softly against Eren’s, before starting again.

“I really liked today. We have the most unpredictable job within the walls. I don’t know when I might lose you, and don’t say I won’t ever will, _don’t fucking say it_. You can’t promise me shit. I just, I don’t know man, you make me think things though ? Like what it would be like to be with you. I just, look, I’m not the best person to comfort you when you’re upset, and I’ll try, I’ll get better I promise, but God, I really fucking _like you_. I just, I want this stupid pretense that everything is okay, even for a day. I want us to be normal, like this, and it’s hard, so this has been a spectacular day, and I guess what I’m trying to say, is that I really appreciate how domestic today has been because we’re always fucking flinging ourselves at the fucking titans, and just to have this stupid shopping trip makes me so happy, and maybe it’s because it gives me hope that one day, when all hell breaks loose, and we still survive, and I know you will Eren, because you’re so fucking stubborn, I just-“ He cut himself off to take a breath before sighing and running a hand through his hair and looking at the ground instead of him before continuing. “It gives me hope. It gives me hope that one day we’ll be in our fucking fifties, _old as balls_ , and we can still call each other names and joke around, and just, I can be with you. I like having this hope of being with you.” He admitted, finally schooling himself to meet Eren’s gaze again. “I guess I’m just that fucking head over heels for you man.”

Eren laughed, quietly, having listened to what Jean had to say patiently before smiling sweetly and taking his hand in his, raising it to press a soft kiss to his knuckles. “I think it’s sweet of you to dream about it, and you’re an idiot, but I’m glad I’m the one who gives you hope, because Jean, really, it’s hard being humanity’s last hope, but uh, god this is cheesy, shit, I can’t believe I’m admitting this but you’re humanity’s last hope’s _hope_. I mean, not just you, but you’re about eighty-five percent of it, I have other people too.” He teased, grinning up at him. “But yeah, I like this stupid domestic thing we’re doing now, and I’m looking forward to doing it all the time when we fucking win, okay ? So you better stay.” He chided, before starting to walk with Jean, smile stuck on his face, golden in the light of the setting sun. Jean just mirrored his grin and followed along.

He really could leave it there, but no.

“Hey Eren ?”

“Yeah Jean ?”

“Thanks for the _date.”_

Sure enough, Jean got the reaction he expected. Typical of Eren to be okay with confessing his feelings, but as soon as Jean mentions them being a couple it hits Eren harder than the confession itself. He flushed and stuttered, mouth open in shock for a moment, and Jean could swear he could see the cogs turn in Eren’s brain, mulling over everything they did and holy shit it was exactly like a date.

“S-Stupid, you don’t have to thank me for a date, what are we married ? God, you could have just-“ He sputtered, leaving Jean’s hand and hugging his packages, walking faster as if he could outrun embarrassment. Jean laughed, quickly jogging up to catch up to him, grin in place as he put down the bags, hands hooking behind Eren’s knees and his shoulders before lifting him up bridal style, ignoring his squawk of protest, kissing him quickly.

_“We could be.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Aconitums are deadly flowers
> 
> Also, I'm on tumblr as acey-desi or like, if you want to see my art, draw-your-armadas is the blog you wanna follow.


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